How to Make Money Blogging – MMO Series

How to Make Money Blogging

When I first started DIY Jahn, I had no idea how to make money blogging. It was a foreign concept to me (and that was only a couple of months ago), but I knew that I had to try. As many of you know, my wife and I are doing everything in our power to pay off our student debts as quickly as we possibly can.

For me, this meant picking up some side jobs including (but not limited to), starting my blog. What you may not know is that even though it has only been a little under two months, I believe that starting this blog was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I originally started DIY Jahn to be centered around the steps of the book, Adulting, which I love and I still will be posting these tips moving forward. However, as DIY Jahn moves forward and grows, the goals and content seem to be taking a mind of their own. The blog has really fallen into its niche and I now focus my posts on helping you all to save money, make money online, and pay off debt. I’ve started my Make Money Online Series, posted on saving money, and even will be hosting a No Spend Challenge starting January 1 – which I am super excited about.

But I thought to myself: what if I could do exactly what I want to do all the time? What if I could spend my time doing what I love? And blogging was the answer for me. How would you like a Monday where you can sleep in, roll out of bed, and start doing exactly what you love for the rest of the day? It’s hardly work when you enjoy it!

So, you are probably wondering why I think blogging has been one of the greatest decisions that I have ever made, right? Here’s the thing, as I mentioned in my post on making money through freelance writing (here), I have a deep-set passion for writing. I spend hours simply thinking of things that I can write about – even before I started blogging I would do this. I absolutely adore writing.

Not only that, but I work hard to make a difference in peoples’ lives. My full-time job as a Camp Program Director allows me to truly change peoples’ lives for the better, but my passion doesn’t end there. I love helping people to find peace and live life to the fullest. Finally, I really enjoy budgeting and accounting (though, honestly, I’m not sure why). My wife lets me take charge of the finances simply because I actually like doing them. However, it can be really hard because of our financial struggles: due mainly to student loans.

Blogging gives me the ability to harness each and every one of my passions and share them with the world. I get to write daily (which I love), work on my finances and paying off my debts (which I’m excited about), and inspire others: all at the same time. Writing DIY Jahn posts has taught me patience, kindness, and love through the engagement of my readers. It’s also shown me ways in which I can truly live life to the fullest on a frugal budget (my mission).

In only two months I have been welcomed into multiple blogging communities, made some great new friends, been featured in a magazine (HERE), inspired people to make a change with their finances and their lives, and learned more about myself. It’s helped me to build my confidence, to understand management better, and it’s even helped my back account which leads us back to the purpose of this article.

If this is your first time viewing our Make Money Online Series, please read this section.
-if not, feel free to skip ahead!-

The Make Money Online Series is a compilation of blog posts and guest posts discussing how it is possible to make extra cash online. When I first started my journey to pay off my debt fast and become debt free, I searched every possible nook and cranny to find options to earn extra money – in fact, I’m still looking! I scavenged the internet searching for options and signing up for everything that I possibly could.

Of course, this led to a bunch of spam and horrible programs that lie and do not actually help to make money online at all. SO, I’ve developed this series to help debunk those programs so that those of you who are in need of some extra cash, whether it’s because you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck, want to pay off your debt fast, or want to find a way to support your family as a stay at home mom, won’t struggle to find tried and true methods to earn money online.

We’ll cover topics ranging from freelancing to blogging to direct sales to micro jobs, etc. and posts will be made every other day – so keep checking back for more or sign up for our weekly newsletter! For a compilation of all topics that have already been posted, click here (HERE).

If you have a topic that you would like us to cover, or a topic you would like to guest post on, let us know in the comments below! Thank you!

How to Make Money Blogging

The first question you probably have is: Is it actually possible to earn anything by blogging?

The simple answer: Yes. The longer answer: Yes, but it takes a lot of hard work. Learning how to make money blogging is not a quick-fix, get-rich-quick scheme. Blogging is a job that, if done right, can be very lucrative.

The next question, I’m guessing, is: Have you made any money by blogging?

The answer: I am still working on learning how to make money blogging, but yes, I have made money. Yes, I continue to make money. And yes, I continue to work the business and fully expect it to grow exponentially as DIY Jahn grows.

As of right now, my blogging has not earned enough to pay all my bills and make me a millionaire – and I don’t expect that it will ever get me that far – but it has earned enough to put some extra toward our debt and that’s what matters to me right now. I hope that in the future this income will surpass the income of my full-time job – and with hard work, I think it will.

Make the choice now to Do What You LOVE.

Try not to let these tips discourage you from blogging. Blogging is hard, but it is totally manageable and you will love it once you begin, but there are some things that you should definitely keep in mind when you are learning how to make money blogging. If you are ready to commit to blogging, make the choice to do what you love: it will be life-changing.

Here is a list of what I believe are the most important pieces to building a money-making blog.

First of all, think about a niche or a field. Is there something that you are passionate about? What is it? Spend some time writing out what you would like to see happen with blogging.

Be prepared to commit your time to writing, marketing, and developing your blog if you really want to learn how to make money blogging. Blogging is a large time commitment, but you can start small – take an hour a day while the kids are napping and focus on blogging.

Be patient. Don’t expect your blog to take off overnight. The old saying goes “if you build it, they will come,” but unfortunately, that is not quite true for blogging. It should go something more like “If you build it, keep it up, write quality content, and market it appropriately, they will come.”

If you are in it just for the money, take a step back. Blogging should be something you enjoy and that changes you – the money should be considered an added perk. Believe me, if you enjoy writing and you love what you do, the money will come. Remember the whole be patient thing we just talked about?

Treat your blog like a business. I see a lot of people who want to learn how to make money blogging, but they don’t spend time treating their blog like a business. If you want to run a business, you have to think like a business. This means following through on commitments: if you say you will post daily, don’t do it for a week and then quit – POST DAILY. If you say you’ll send a newsletter once a week: do it. If you want people to visit your site, market to them.

Don’t be afraid to invest in your blog. There will be some startup costs for running a blog. While many people may tell you that these costs are unnecessary, it’s important that you realize that they are. If you aren’t investing in your business, you won’t get anything out of it. With that being said, don’t go crazy purchasing high end and unnecessary items, but follow the steps below to invest in a quality website that will help your business grow as you learn how to make money blogging.

The most important thing to remember when learning how to make money blogging is this: If you aren’t passionate about what you are writing about, your business will never grow.

How to Build a Money-Making Blog

Blogging can be a life-changing experience: it gives you the opportunity to spend your time doing what you love. However, in order to accomplish your blogging dreams, you need to learn exactly how to make money blogging. I won’t be able to tell you everything you need to know, but I can get you started on the right foot by explaining how you can build a money-making blog: TODAY.

Brainstorm Your Business Plan

Building a business plans is one of the first things you should do when you decide to start a money-making blog. Make sure to write all of your business plan down so that you can refer to it regularly. Spend some time brainstorming and come up with the following:

What is your passion? This refers to what you hope to spend your time writing about.

Who is your Target Market? These are the specific people that would be interested in your topic. Your target market should include the people you hope will read your blog (the people who will be interested in your topic), the people who influence those people (big-name people, celebrities, other bloggers, etc.), and your personal supporters (mom, dad, aunt, uncle, friends, etc.).

What are your goals for your blog? This includes what you hope your blog will become in the future: how many readers you will have, how much money you hope to make, where you hope it will take you, etc.

When you have answers to these bigger questions, you can start thinking about logistical questions. In your blogging business plan, include answers to the following questions as well.

What is your blog’s name? Be sure to choose something catchy and easy to remember. This will be your brand.

What do you want your blog’s domain name to be? Similar to your blog’s name is important, but try not to make it too long or hard to spell. Simplicity is key.

How often will you post content to your blog? Decide now how many blog posts you hope to publish a week. Create a plan – buy a planner, be ready to commit to your readers and post when you say you will. Consistency is of the utmost importance when building an online business.

How will you market your blog? Start thinking about how you will market your blog posts to help your blog grow. This includes sending out email newsletters, marketing via social media networks, utilizing your warm market (people you already know) and getting to know your cold marketing (the rest of the world).

Don’t worry too much about the content-posting and marketing portion quite yet. You should have an idea of what you want to do, but it doesn’t have to be set in stone until a little later. I’ll be posting more about how to market your blog for the most success so keep watching!

The most important thing to do when starting a blog is to sign-up for a self-hosted website. Many people believe that when they are starting a blog they should test it out first through a free platform (such as Blogger or WordPress.com). While this may work for some, if you hope to learn how to make money blogging, this technique will not get you very far. Free platforms create a difficult arena for you to monetize your blog. Instead, sign-up for a self-hosted blog through Bluehost to start making money right away.

A couple of questions you probably have:

What does it mean to be self-hosted? Being self-hosted means that you own your blogs domain. For example, if I were to sign up for a freeplatform, my blog’s URL would be: myblog.wordpress.com – Whereas if I sign-up for a self-hosted website on Bluehost, my URL becomes myblog.com – does that make sense?Not only does the URL change, but you also have complete control of your website once you have switched to self-hosted. When you are on a free platform, the owner of the website (not you) gets to choose which ads are displayed on your webpage. When you invest in your business, you become the sole-owner and therefore choose what ads are displayed – rather than someone else choosing for you.

Why should I spend money on my blog? Yes, hosting through Bluehost does cost money. However, I think it is important that you refer to this as an investment, rather than an expense. You are investing in your business. Are you worth more than $4 a month? Bluehost is an inexpensive platform that offers web hosting for only $3.95 a month – you are worth that investment.I once read a story of a woman who was excited to begin blogging so she signed up for a blog through a free platform. She spent hours learning how to make money blogging and creating content for her blog. For years she blogged on this platform to no avail. When she finally invested in Bluehost self-hosting, she began earning an income within only a couple weeks.By choosing to invest in your business, you will open the doors to possibilities for making money through your blog. For this almost-insignificant cost you ensure that your blog is entirely your own – it belongs to only you – meaning that you can monetize, design, and utilize it however you wish. Investing in your business by signing-up for a self-hosted site through Bluehost is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your blog.

Why should I go with Bluehost? Bluehost offers quality web-hosting with great customer service. While I am an affiliate for them, I only allow them to advertise on my site because I 100% believe that they are the single best web-hosting company out there. I am excited to use them and have had no problems at all with their service.Not to mention, I have talked to hundreds of other bloggers who utilize Bluehost for their web-hosting services and have loved it. While problems rarely occur on their platform, when they do the customer service is phenomenal. When you work with Bluehost for your self-hosting needs, you know that you are receiving the best service around.

What does it cost? Perhaps the greatest thing about Bluehost is that the cost is so small. You can start a blog for only $3.95 a month – barely anything! Now, there is a small catch: in order to get the best pricing for your blog, you’ll need to pay for 36 months from the start.The pricing works like this: Pay for 12 months in advance = $5.95 / Month, Pay for 24 months in advance = $4.95 / Month, Pay for 36 months in advance = $3.95 / MonthI know what you’re thinking. Why would you pay for 3 years in advance? Right? Here’s the thing even at 36 months you’re paying less than $150 total (excluding optional add-ons). But for one year of $5.95, you’re paying half of what you would pay for 3 years! That means that throughout the course of the year, you’re losing 6 months worth of web-hosting that you could have otherwise had. Basically how it works is this: you’re paying for two terms and your third term is free if you pay it all at once. If you pay it separately, you’ll be paying an extra $70+ over the course of 3 years. It’s not a ton, but it’s enough to make it now worth it.Not to mention the fact that when you begin your blog: you must commit to doing at least 3 years of blogging. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your blog will take time to grow and if you quit after only one year, you’ll be quitting right before things start to get good.

Once your money making blog is set up, it’s time to start learning how to make money blogging. You have the platform, the business plan, and the content – now it is time to go and do. Spend time designing your website, implementing a theme, developing content, taking pictures, and marketing like crazy! I’ll be posting more about how to make money blogging soon – until then, stay in touch!

Thank you for sticking around for our Make Money Online Series. A new post will be coming out soon – don’t forget to check back in!

If you have topics you would like to contribute or would like us to cover on how making extra cash is possible during our Make Money Online Series, please let us know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: Some of DIY Jahn posts contain affiliate links. While I do earn money and bonuses for referring people, all of my opinions on the company are 100% honest. Also, please note that recipes, fitness tips, and financial tips are not given by a professional. To understand what this all means for you, click here.

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66 Replies to “How to Make Money Blogging – MMO Series”

Good morning, Julie! I certainly do! I will be writing a post on all forms of monetizing for blogs soon – stay tuned. Sign up for our email newsletter and you’ll get first dibs on how to monetize your blog 🙂 Thank you for your comment

That’s a great idea, Kathryn. Self-hosting is a big step, but a necessary one if you hope to monetize. My blog is only 2 months old (today actually) and I have already earned money from it because I started off treating it like a business, investing in it, developing a business plan, and sticking to a posting schedule. I’ll be writing more on it soon – stay tuned! Thank you so much for your comment

These are excellent points! You have to be passionate and can’t be in it just for the money. Yes you can want it to be a business and you can want to make money but you have to be in an area you love. You also have to treat it like a business and not a hobby or it will only ever be a time exhaustive hobby. These are wonderful tips. I can’t wait to see what else come in the series.

Thank you, Dia! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Blogging can be so hard, but is so rewarding.You truly have to be passionate about what you are doing and put the necessary effort into doing it right and treating it like a business. I really appreciate your comment and I hope you stay tuned for more of the Make Money Online Series! 🙂

Great tips and great post. I make a very little money from my blog, but it’s more about the joy I get from writing it. While I would love for it to someday make a real contribution to our family, I am realistic and know it won’t happen overnight.

Thank you for your comment, Shann – you’re absolutely right, it’s a lot of work and it certainly doesn’t happen overnight. I’m glad you enjoy it though because I certainly enjoy reading your posts! 🙂 Thank you again!

Thank you for your comment, Ana! I’m so glad it was helpful for you. I think my next post will be all about monetizing a blog – so there will be a section on affiliates, but also other sections on differing options. Thank you for the ideas. 🙂 It’ll be coming out in just a couple of weeks – keep in touch!

Investing is hard to do because it’s easy to be scared to put yourself out there. But your blog is already fabulous, Zena, I can’t wait to see where you will go when you keep moving forward! Thank you for commenting

Great post and very transparent. I have been doing this for a little over a year and am not making any money at it right now, but the experience is worth the effort and I am doing something that I love.

The experience is definitely worth it, Ashley. I’m so glad that you appreciated the post. It’s a lot of work, but you definitely can make money from it if you put your effort into it. I hope you start seeing some return soon. Thank you for your comment!

I’m glad you’ve made the point that making money blogging takes a lot of time and hard work. Many people that I speak to don’t realise how much work goes into writing a blog. This is a very useful article, I will pop back to read more another day. Thank you 🙂

Thank you, Bek! I agree. Many people think that they can become overnight successes simply by writing a post or two on a blog, but there’s a lot more to it than that (as we all know too well). It’s hard work, but it’s so worth it if you are passionate about your subject. 🙂 Thank you again!

That’s wonderful, Kari! I went over to your blog and it sounds like you run a very similar business to mine. 🙂 I’d love to chat about how we can collaborate if you are ever interested. Let me know! Thank you for the comment 🙂

Thank you for your comment, Kerry! I’m so glad that you appreciated it. It’s sometimes hard to think of blogging as a business, but if you want to monetize it, it’s the best way to go. Writing a business plan is a great start. If you ever need help starting that, let me know 🙂

Hey Tori! Thank you for your comment. I recently created my own blog planner on Excel (and by that I mean that I created it yesterday) so we’ll see how it goes. If you don’t get one, I can send it over so that you can use it until you get one! Let me know. I’ll be writing a post on monetizing your blog soon after Christmas that will have a whole section on affiliates and another on advertising, so keep in touch! 🙂

This is great, I think it’s amazing that we have the opportunity/potential to turn a hobby in to a business, or start a blog as a business and work from home – it give so much freedom. I love blogging, it’s my hobby and a little time for myself each day. It’s also nice to have it ‘give something back’ so to speak in terms of money/products

Thank you for your comment, Ariel! It looks like you’re really trying to work toward building up your blogging and that’s awesome! I’m so glad that I could be helpful in that area. I went and looked at your blog and was instantly reminded that I have been there before and loved it – I think your monthly goals are SO great and something that I hope to implement in the new year. I also noticed how similar we are: lifestyle bloggers, 24 years old, recently married, new to blogging. It’s great. I’d love to think of ways that we can collaborate. Let me know if you are interested. Thank you for commenting! 🙂

I always say you should start off on a free platform and see how you go. Blogging can be a huge commitment and very expensive. My one recommendation is you buy a vanity URL though which can be as cheap as £1 therefore you can build your brand

Well written post! I especially agree with the common misconception of “Build it and they will come”. Blogging is a LOT of work and should be treated like any other business which includes a ton of time of promotion.

Thank you for your comment, Chantal. I completely agree – I think my main time-suck is promoting my blog. Content is perhaps 2/5ths of my time (or less). Promoting is a lot of work, but if you truly enjoy blogging, writing, or your subject, it’s worth it. 🙂 Thanks for reading!

I wish I could do my blog full time, and hope to eventually, if you ever have any tips – I’d love to hear! I’m so glad you found this post helpful and thorough though. I really tried to make it as informative as possible for people considering blogging – because it sure is a lot of work, but it’s SO fun if you’re willing to do it. 🙂 Thank you for your comment

Please always keep in mind when you are giving pointers on beginning to blog that some of us out here are new to everything on the computer. Don’t assume ( myself for one) we may know what you may be referring to. I’m interested in learning everything, but I am still a beginner. I know things will come easier as I move along and put time and effort into it. In the mean time thanks in advance for being patient.

Of course, Sharon! You just let me know what you need more information on and I would be MORE than happy to help you. We can email, if you need. Just let me know. Good luck starting your blog! You can do this!